Teaching Observations
Riverside Elementary-Princeton, NJ
For part of my professional development activities during my first semester at Westminster, I observed Mrs. Peg Banks and Mr. Paul Chapin at Riverside Elementary School during Thursday mornings. I was able to observe Mrs. Banks in her private string classes and Mr. Chapin in his general music classes.
Mrs. Banks is the string teacher for both Riverside and Littlebrook Elementaries. Her classes include students from third to fifth grade. She used many modeling, shadowing, constructive criticism, and practice techniques to teach her students string technique, how to learn their music, and practice their orchestra parts.
Mr. Chapin also taught classes for third to fifth grade students. His classes consisted of general music lessons. During this time of year, he was teaching his students form, composition, and orchestral scoring. His students participated in many critical thinking activities including composing their own percussion pieces and reading orchestral scores in foreign languages and identifying the instruments.
Mrs. Banks is the string teacher for both Riverside and Littlebrook Elementaries. Her classes include students from third to fifth grade. She used many modeling, shadowing, constructive criticism, and practice techniques to teach her students string technique, how to learn their music, and practice their orchestra parts.
Mr. Chapin also taught classes for third to fifth grade students. His classes consisted of general music lessons. During this time of year, he was teaching his students form, composition, and orchestral scoring. His students participated in many critical thinking activities including composing their own percussion pieces and reading orchestral scores in foreign languages and identifying the instruments.
Hamilton High School West-Hamilton, NJ
One requirement for Critical Pedagogy I was to observe two schools, different in level of schooling and school environment and location (suburbs, city, etc.). For one of my required observations I observed Ms. Suzanne Proulx teaching the women's and full choruses and Mr. Peter Certo teaching piano class.
Hamilton High School West is a public high school located in Hamilton school district. The school's music program department head is Ms. Proulx. I very much enjoyed observing both her and Mr. Certo in their classes. Ms. Proulx is running a wonderful program, and her choirs are prospering. She was able to produce wonderful reactions from her students, has good lesson pacing, and had both choirs at the memory stage of learning their winter concert music in October. Mr. Certo taught class piano, which is something that I did not experience at my high school. I think this is a very important class and skill to be teaching students, and I commend the district for offering piano classes. I enjoyed seeing the repertoire for students and being able to observe Mr. Certo give private lessons to students.
Hamilton High School West is a public high school located in Hamilton school district. The school's music program department head is Ms. Proulx. I very much enjoyed observing both her and Mr. Certo in their classes. Ms. Proulx is running a wonderful program, and her choirs are prospering. She was able to produce wonderful reactions from her students, has good lesson pacing, and had both choirs at the memory stage of learning their winter concert music in October. Mr. Certo taught class piano, which is something that I did not experience at my high school. I think this is a very important class and skill to be teaching students, and I commend the district for offering piano classes. I enjoyed seeing the repertoire for students and being able to observe Mr. Certo give private lessons to students.
Teaching Experiences
Student Teaching at Edgewood Elementary School with Jennifer Kimock
Please click here to see my website about my experiences at Edgewood!
Disclaimer: Some pages are password protected on the website above due to the use of educational videos of students. Please email me at the address on my resume if you are interested in viewing the password protected pages. Thank you!
Practicum Experience at Community Middle School with Maureen Fernandez and Samantha Gans
During the Spring 2014 semester, I took my Secondary Praxis class with Dr. Janet Cape and Dr. Al Holcomb. The seminar portion was co-taught by both of them for three days of the week. Dr. Cape focused on general music, and Dr. Holcomb focused on choral rehearsing and preparing. After we had half of the semester of seminar, we were given our placements. I was in a group with Van Baum and Sarah Labrie, our group being placed at Community Middle School in West Windsor-Plainsboro School District. We had two co-operative teachers, Maureen Fernandez and Samantha Gans.
Everyone always says that "it takes a special kind of person to teach middle school". This is true in some ways because Mrs. Fernandez and Ms. Gans are two extraordinary people and teachers. Both were very different. We never wrote a lesson plan for Mrs. Fernandez, but learned from her by watching the first class she taught, understanding the sequence, and then teaching the next class off-the-cuff. Ms. Gans was more plan-oriented, and liked asking us the day before which portions we would like to teach. On several occasions we made lesson plans for her even though we still team-taught. We learned so much from teaching in both styles, and enjoyed both ways of thinking and sequencing.
For me, the most interesting part of this journey was getting to know the students and how they thought. I now know that middle schoolers can prove to be changeable, like any teenager, and sometimes they can be quite placid. The amount of weight that chemistry between students plays is also fascinating. At first I had trouble reading certain students' personalities, but I learned to read them from day to day instead of going off of first impressions. I ended up really enjoying the challenge of figuring out the best way to sequence something or simply how to word something so that every variety of learner and personality in the class could connect. I hope someday to get another experience with teaching middle school because I found them to be so interesting, and to see what more they can teach me.
During the Spring 2014 semester, I took my Secondary Praxis class with Dr. Janet Cape and Dr. Al Holcomb. The seminar portion was co-taught by both of them for three days of the week. Dr. Cape focused on general music, and Dr. Holcomb focused on choral rehearsing and preparing. After we had half of the semester of seminar, we were given our placements. I was in a group with Van Baum and Sarah Labrie, our group being placed at Community Middle School in West Windsor-Plainsboro School District. We had two co-operative teachers, Maureen Fernandez and Samantha Gans.
Everyone always says that "it takes a special kind of person to teach middle school". This is true in some ways because Mrs. Fernandez and Ms. Gans are two extraordinary people and teachers. Both were very different. We never wrote a lesson plan for Mrs. Fernandez, but learned from her by watching the first class she taught, understanding the sequence, and then teaching the next class off-the-cuff. Ms. Gans was more plan-oriented, and liked asking us the day before which portions we would like to teach. On several occasions we made lesson plans for her even though we still team-taught. We learned so much from teaching in both styles, and enjoyed both ways of thinking and sequencing.
For me, the most interesting part of this journey was getting to know the students and how they thought. I now know that middle schoolers can prove to be changeable, like any teenager, and sometimes they can be quite placid. The amount of weight that chemistry between students plays is also fascinating. At first I had trouble reading certain students' personalities, but I learned to read them from day to day instead of going off of first impressions. I ended up really enjoying the challenge of figuring out the best way to sequence something or simply how to word something so that every variety of learner and personality in the class could connect. I hope someday to get another experience with teaching middle school because I found them to be so interesting, and to see what more they can teach me.
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Practicum Experience at Edgewood Elementary with Jennifer Kimock
In the fall of 2013, I enrolled in my Elementary Practicum class. We began the semester with Dr. Sharon Morrow in seminar for two days during the week learning singing games, activities, and classroom management techniques for elementary students. Halfway through the semester, we received our practicum group assignments and placings. I was placed in a group with two of my dear friends as a result, Jasmine Riel and Drew Brennan. We were given the placement of Edgewood Elementary in Pennsbury School District located in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and our co-operative teacher was Jennifer Kimock.
I have always had a feeling that I might enjoy teaching elementary students, and this experience confirmed my first inclination. Jasmine, Drew and I taught students from third to fifth grade, and I loved every moment of teaching them. I learned that I feel the most comfortable with this age of student, and that I can easily make myself think like them to create the most efficient and enjoyable sequence of learning. Our co-op, Mrs. Kimock, was wonderful in guiding us from her lesson plans and team-teaching to creating and trying out our own lessons. She was such an experienced, calming influence on brand new teachers, which was something we needed more than anything else. We not only "got our feet wet" as teachers, but gained the confidence we needed to continue on in our studies as educators.
In the fall of 2013, I enrolled in my Elementary Practicum class. We began the semester with Dr. Sharon Morrow in seminar for two days during the week learning singing games, activities, and classroom management techniques for elementary students. Halfway through the semester, we received our practicum group assignments and placings. I was placed in a group with two of my dear friends as a result, Jasmine Riel and Drew Brennan. We were given the placement of Edgewood Elementary in Pennsbury School District located in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and our co-operative teacher was Jennifer Kimock.
I have always had a feeling that I might enjoy teaching elementary students, and this experience confirmed my first inclination. Jasmine, Drew and I taught students from third to fifth grade, and I loved every moment of teaching them. I learned that I feel the most comfortable with this age of student, and that I can easily make myself think like them to create the most efficient and enjoyable sequence of learning. Our co-op, Mrs. Kimock, was wonderful in guiding us from her lesson plans and team-teaching to creating and trying out our own lessons. She was such an experienced, calming influence on brand new teachers, which was something we needed more than anything else. We not only "got our feet wet" as teachers, but gained the confidence we needed to continue on in our studies as educators.
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Preschool and Kindergarten Music Teacher at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education
During the Spring 2012 semester, I was the music teacher for children ages 2 to 6 in the kindergarten and preschool programs at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education. I taught from Monday to Thursday for one week, and I loved every minute! For the first two days I taught group piano classes. For these classes, I taught the basic parts of the piano, songs to sing at the piano, and I allowed each child to come up and play a song with or without my help. Each class was based on age and numbered 8 to 14 students. Below are videos from these group piano lessons in chronological order from my first day of teaching.
On the third day I taught the kindergarten class a lesson on African music. We discussed African rhythms, sounds, animals, and cultural traits. We also had the chance to make some great African sounds with percussion instruments! I was able to assist in other classes for the rest of the day.
For my fourth day of teaching, I taught the preschool class a lesson on Native American Music. We used some percussion instruments to accompany ourselves on a song from Pocahontas. I was also able to assist in the preschoolers' other classes for the day. Below the videos is a link to the outline of my lessons for the kindergarteners and preschoolers.
On the third day I taught the kindergarten class a lesson on African music. We discussed African rhythms, sounds, animals, and cultural traits. We also had the chance to make some great African sounds with percussion instruments! I was able to assist in other classes for the rest of the day.
For my fourth day of teaching, I taught the preschool class a lesson on Native American Music. We used some percussion instruments to accompany ourselves on a song from Pocahontas. I was also able to assist in the preschoolers' other classes for the day. Below the videos is a link to the outline of my lessons for the kindergarteners and preschoolers.
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Accompanist and Teacher at Theatre Camps at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education
During the summer of 2012, I was an accompanist and teacher at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education. I accompanied a three-week camp entitled "Broadway Junior" and also recorded the score of the show for the use of the campers. The camp began at 9:30 am and ended at 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. The camp was attended by about 50 students, making it possible to do a double-casting of the chosen show "Madeline and the Gypsies". The age range of students was from 9 to 16 years. At the end of this camp, the students performed 4 shows in two days between the two casts with dress rehearsals the preceding day.
Also during this summer I was an accompanist and teacher for the camp "Musical Extravaganza". This one-week camp consisted of 15 students and also ran from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. The objective of this camp was to create a cabaret show by the end of the week which included a small role for all of the students. The students helped write the script and chose what songs would follow and narrate the script properly. The students learned rehearsal skills, audition skills, how to cooperate and compromise, and had the satisfaction of creating their own show. Below are pictures from the performance at the end of the week. Below is the cast photo and a picture from the performance at the Miller Center in Reading, PA.
I grew up at the Yocum Institute, taking piano lessons through high school graduation, playing for ballet classes and masterclasses, dancing, attending and working at summer camps, and enjoying the numerous performance opportunities offered me. Being able to teach and accompany as a staff member at this arts school was one of the best experiences of being at the Yocum Institute because I felt that I had grown into one of the teachers who I always admired and idolized. Working with the kids was a wonderful experience, and I felt very at home playing as a theatre accompanist. Working with young singers was so exciting because of their excitement and ease with learning new material. I felt that as we all taught and made music we were able to show these kids how to be inspired as singers and musicians.
Also during this summer I was an accompanist and teacher for the camp "Musical Extravaganza". This one-week camp consisted of 15 students and also ran from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. The objective of this camp was to create a cabaret show by the end of the week which included a small role for all of the students. The students helped write the script and chose what songs would follow and narrate the script properly. The students learned rehearsal skills, audition skills, how to cooperate and compromise, and had the satisfaction of creating their own show. Below are pictures from the performance at the end of the week. Below is the cast photo and a picture from the performance at the Miller Center in Reading, PA.
I grew up at the Yocum Institute, taking piano lessons through high school graduation, playing for ballet classes and masterclasses, dancing, attending and working at summer camps, and enjoying the numerous performance opportunities offered me. Being able to teach and accompany as a staff member at this arts school was one of the best experiences of being at the Yocum Institute because I felt that I had grown into one of the teachers who I always admired and idolized. Working with the kids was a wonderful experience, and I felt very at home playing as a theatre accompanist. Working with young singers was so exciting because of their excitement and ease with learning new material. I felt that as we all taught and made music we were able to show these kids how to be inspired as singers and musicians.
Piano and Writing Center Tutor at Westminster Choir College of Rider University
Since my second semester as a student at Westminster, I have been a piano tutor for any level of piano. I have benefited from this opportunity so much. I have been able to use my skills acquired in my piano pedagogy classes since I do not have my own studio and have never taught lessons before coming to college. As a teacher, I have learned how to adapt to different students both in teaching and in energy. I have also learned that I absolutely love teaching piano, and I love when I can help students enjoy playing. Whenever a student tells me they have practiced I am thrilled because it means that I have inspired them to want to play piano.
I have also had the privilege of being a tutor at Westminster's Writing Center located in Williamson Hall. I have always enjoyed the subject of English, and I have always found writing to be an easy outlet for creativity. I was excited to use my writing skills from high school towards assisting others in college.
I have also had the privilege of being a tutor at Westminster's Writing Center located in Williamson Hall. I have always enjoyed the subject of English, and I have always found writing to be an easy outlet for creativity. I was excited to use my writing skills from high school towards assisting others in college.
Click here to read about my teaching experiences as a Conducting Fellow for the Princeton Girlchoir